One Of Her Own
by mem03210
Summary: The Turners have a baby! Post s2 ep7, just a little self indugence in my favorite characters. Some mild adult content, nothing graphic. REVISED AND UPDATED FOR CANON
1. Chapter 1

In the soft glow of the first rays of morning sun creeping through the drapes, Shelagh Turner lay on her side, one arm under her head, the other making

gentle circles on her abdomen as she watched her husband sleep beside her. She knew she would have to tell him soon enough, after all; he was a doctor

with trained eye in these things. Bernadette hadn't yet sought the opinion of one of her fellow midwives, but all the signs were there; her monthly period was

now 9 days late, her breasts were becoming more tender and swollen, and the nausea and tiredness she had been putting aside as a catching bug had yet to

ceased. Having heard such symptoms hundreds of times, there was not a doubt in her mind that she was pregnant.

Not that there was any reason for surprise. Even though Shelagh, having entered the convent young, came into her sexuality quite late, she found

that she enjoyed love-making immensely. She couldn't quite understand the women of Poplar, who she had listened to for years, often complaining about their

husband's sex drives, and how they would simply lie back and wait for them to finish. While Patrick was perhaps the same as any other man,

Shelagh found that she desired sex as much as he did, it made her feel whole and filled in ways she couldn't put into words, and she had found nothing

that made her feel so connected to her husband, physically, emotionally and spiritually. After they had been married for several months, use of any

contraceptive measures had become rare. The couple felt that within the happiness of their marriage and family, any child conceived was a more than welcome

blessing. If anything, Shelagh was surprised it had taken so long.

The alarm clock at her husband's bedside began to ring. Patrick Turner stirred, without opening his eyes, reached for and fumbled with the alarm to turn it off,

then, also without opening his eye, reached to the other side of the bed for his wife. His hand found Shelagh's, and his eyes fluttered open as her entwined

his fingers with hers. She giggled softly, "good morning Dr. Turner." She whispered, pressing her lips to his. She felt him smile into her kiss, "good morning Mrs.

Turner." He replied, drawing her into him. Shelagh cherished their morning rituals, she loved waking up to him, having him gaze at her everyday as if it were

the first time. Shelagh caressed his arm, "I hope you slept well, I expect with the arrival of spring, the antenatal clinic will start to fill to the brim, and we

mustn't forget Timothy's violin recital at the church this evening." Shelagh groaned softly, "Surely I thought you were my wife, not my secretary." He said

teasingly, drawing her in for another kiss, which he grazed across her lips, lingering on her cheek, "I love you." Without a hesitation, Shelagh replied, "We

love you too."

At first, she was sure her husband would not pick up on her choice of words, and for a moment that seemed to be the case. However, within moments,

Patrick pulled away until he could see his wife's entire face, he must have made out the slight flush of her cheeks even in the dimly lit room, and his raised

his eyebrows quizzically, Patrick Turner was a sharp man, and he relished hanging on every word his wife spoke, a slip of the tongue such as this didn't get by

him so easily, "What did you say?" Instead of repeating herself, Shelagh, with a shy smile playing on her lips, took her husband's hand in hers, and placing

it on her belly. Patrick tried to suppress the joy that was welling up inside him, but he was making a very poor job of it, and it danced in his eyes. "Are you

sure?" Shelagh folded her arms over her chest, "Patrick, what a question, I of all people should know when I am carrying you child." She said in mock

offense as an unconstrained smile spread across her face. "If you must know, I should like an outside evaluation, but all the signs are there, and we of all

people should have known it was only a matter of time." Apparently the weak dam that had been controlling Patrick's emotions had bust, He swept his wife up

in his arms, flipping them both so that his body covered hers, and kissed her full in the mouth. "Oh you clever girl, we do have our fun don't we! I can't believe

it, but yes, I believe a good, unbiased checking over is in order, perhaps you can pull someone aside at clinic today, oh, my dear, my dear dear Shelagh, thank

you!" He pressed his lips to her neck and she laughed, "Thank you? Whatever for, you are as much to blame for my condition as I am I believe." He stared

down at her,his eyes soft and impassioned, "Thank you love, for everything, thank you for loving me, thank you for leaving Nonnotus for me, thank you for

being my best friend, my lover, thank you for being a wonderful mother to Timothy, thank you for making me a father again, thank you for letting me love you."

Shelagh smiled and reached up to caress her husband's face. She gasped as he resumed him ministrations to her neck and, pulling aside the fabric of her

night-gown, her collar-bone. "Darling," She said breathlessly, "as much as I could do this all day, we will be late for clinic, and Timothy will be late to

school. Patrick groaned, giving Shelagh one last peck on the lips and grazing his hand once more over her stomach as her rose from the bed," Alright you two, I

suppose we should get a move on."


	2. Chapter 2

As Shelagh had suspected, the antenatal clinic was overflowing with patients, something about the onset of warmer weather and the bloom of trees

and flowers that caused a baby boom in Poplar. She couldn't help but smile when she thought about the fact that she was now one in the same with the

women coming and going. Every small child that ran past her sent her hand to her belly. As she watched Sister Evangelina weighing a baby and Sister Julienne

cleaning instruments, it was hard for her to believe that not so long ago she too had worn the habit and been vowed to chastity, now she was among the

bright, young nurses, with a loving husband and baby on the way, and she beamed. Patrick too seemed to float from patient to patient, and took every

opportunity to kiss his wife's cheek, or wrap his hands around her waist to cradle he stomach, despite her sharp warnings that he was making a spectacle of

them both.

Amidst her happiness, Shelagh was eager for a chance to consult with one of her colleagues, although she knew the sisters respected her leaving the

order, and were all very happy for her and Patrick, she still felt uncomfortable confiding in one of them about her pregnancy, she would rather speak with one

ofthe other midwives, whom she felt closer to now. However, it was not until after 5pm that things started to die down at the clinic. Chummy had gone home

early, it was Peter's day off, making him available to stay with their son, Fred, while she had helped with the clinic. Trixie and Cynthia were attending to a case

of twins. That left Jenny Lee, who was finishing folding towels. "Nurse Lee, could I speak with you for a moment, alone." Jenny Lee looked up with a smile,

"Off course, Nurse Turner." The two made their way into the kitchen, where Shelagh turned to face Jenny Lee, "Nurse Lee, ah, Jenny, I was hoping, if it

wasn't too much trouble, if you would perform an examination on me." Jenny Lee, cocked her head, "Of course I will, but whatever for." Shelagh blushed,

"Well…" she said, moving her hands to her abdomen, something she was beginning to love the feel of. Jenny Lee gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh,

Shelagh, that's absolutely marvelous! Are you quite sure?" Shelagh blushed more, "Quite, I suspected when I began feeling ill on occasion a few weeks

ago, and my period didn't come on the 25th as it should have. I can't imagine that I'm not." Jenny Lee hugged her friend, "does the doctor know?"

Shelagh smiled, "yes, I told him this morning, he was over the moon. I would very much appreciate if you could examine me, and if you would be my

midwife. Dr. Turner and myself are quite capable on our own, but I should so much appreciate your support, and the others, having a baby of your own is

proving to feel very different from delivering someone else's." Jenny Lee took Shelagh's hands in her own, "Of course I will, I would be delighted! Now, let's

get you looked at." Jenny Lee examined Shelagh, taking her vitals, examining her cervix and feeling her belly. She declared Shelagh about 9 weeks

pregnant and inperfect health. Jenny Lee invited Shelagh back to Nonnatus House for tea and celebration, but Shelagh explained that when Patrick

had left earlier on a call, he had made her promise to go straight home once she was finished at the clinic and get some rest, besides, she had decided that

she might not share the news of her pregnancy just yet, God forbid she should miscarry or have some complication, she would rather not cause a big to-do.

Jenny Lee accompanied Shelagh home, congratulating her once more and promising to keep her secret for the time being.


	3. Chapter 3

Shelagh lay her head back on a pillow, her feet propped up on the arm of the sofa, barely visible over her swollen belly. The pregnancy has not overly

been difficult, but she was finding herself more easily tired in these last months before birth. After confirming her pregnancy, The Turners had waited another

month before formally announcing the good news. It had been a hard secret to keep; the first months had brought on boughts morning sickness, making her

work more difficult. The sisters and the midwives had eyed her with concern and a hint of suspicion as she started to take frequent breaks, something that

was very unlike her, and grilled Dr. Turner and Jenny Lee whenever they stepped in on her behalf. When Shelagh had begun to show, the couple decided it

was time to let tell everyone. The nuns and other midwives were overjoyed with the news, Fred started to cry and had to excuse himself from the room, and

Trixie was furious with Jenny Lee for not telling her. Sister Julienne gladly accepted the couples request that she be the babies godmother, and Sister Monica

Joan declared that the alignment of the planets indicated a male baby, "we'll see." Shelagh had replied with a smile.

Apart from the sickness and being more tired, Shelagh found that pregnancy suited her. She had never been a figure-conscious woman, and she

loved the changes that were happening to her body, the rounding of her belly, the new fullness of her hips and bust, all made her feel more feminine than

ever. Patrick didn't seem to mind either; he explored every new curve of his wife's body as if it would earn him a knighthood. She smiled to think of the way

her husband had responded to her pregnancy. Being a doctor, he see saw many pregnant women and new babies every week, but he never acted with them

the way he did with Bernadette and their unborn child. Almost every night, when he thought his wife was asleep, he would talk to the baby. Shelagh would

lay silent with her eyes closed, just to listen. He called the baby, "his angel," as he softly stroked her big belly. Shelagh knew he hoped the

baby would be a girl, even if he never said it. One day, he had come home with a delicate pink and white layette, which he said he'd seen in a shop on his

way back from a house call, and had bought it on a whim. Shelagh thought the layette looked an awful lot like one she had seen in a catalogue for a west

end boutique, but she did say so. She realized that when Patrick's first wife died, he had probably never thought of being a father again. Maybe all his

work at the clinic had given him a longing for something he thought he could never have, and now that his beloved Shelagh was giving it to him, he had

found a tenderness in his heart that he had never shown anyone before.

Shelagh was roused by the sound of the front door closing and her husband's whistled tune, she sat up, with some difficulty, to greet him as he entered the

sitting room. "Hello love," he said cheerfully, kissing his wife and rubbing her belly, "How are we today?" Shelagh smiled, "Quite fine darling, I'm sorry to say

I haven't done much today, your son or daughter has me a bit tired, and running for the toilet every 5 minutes. Would you like some tea?" Patrick kissed her

again, "No thank you love, I'd much rather sit down with you, I have dropped Timothy off at Cubs, and I'm not anticipating any calls this evening, so I'd say

we have a bit to ourselves," he said, sinking on to the sofa, pulling his wife with him and wrapping her in his arms. Shelagh sank into her husband, "How were

things at the surgery today?" He chuckled, "Tickity boo and marvelous, I'm happy to say, The Fincher's oldest has broken his wrist, and Mrs. Peirce had her

twins and I wascalled in to assist, then had tea at the convent with Nurse Miller and Nurse Lee, who reported that she'd been round to see you my dear."

Shelagh let her hands drift to her belly to cover her husbands, "Yes she was, and she thinks I may be further along than we realized, apparently I am

carrying very low these days, which may be the cause of my frequent trips to the lav." Patrick looked quizzically at his unborn child and began feeling his

way around his wife's abdomen, "I'd say she's probably right, by jove, it seems we may have a little Turner sooner than we thought, not that I mind." He

smiled as he kissed his wife. "Nor do I," she said, returning the kiss. Her hands move to cup his face, as she deepened the kiss, her lips parting on his. He

drew her closer, as best he couldwith baby in the way, and let his tongue intertwine with hers. They stayed this way, kissing passionately, before

long, Shelagh became restless, moving her hands to his chest and undoing his tie. Suddenly, his hands came up to cover hers, and he pulled his lips from

hers, "now, now Mrs. Turner, you know the rules,you're in your third trimester. I think it's best if we don't tempt ourselves." His wife groaned in frustration, "I

shall never have you again will I, after this is over?" Patrick laughed, kissing his wife on the cheek, "I doubt that my dear, not if I have anything to say

about it."


	4. Chapter 4

The first pains started a week later, just as the Turners were getting ready for bed. Shelagh felt a slight twinge as she was putting on her night gown,

but thought nothing of it. She'd been having Braxton- Hicks contractions for the past few days, and figured they had come again. She decided not to

trouble her husband, who was out on a call, so she tucked Timothy into bed, then went to bed herself.

Some hours later, Bernadette awoke with a start, the pain was sharp now, and she felt her belly tighten, it left as soon as it came, so she lay back and

waited, sure enough, 8 minutes later, the pain returned. Patrick had returned home earlier and was now sleeping beside her. Shelagh roused him gently,

whispering in his ear, "It's time." Suddenly, her husband was wide awake, sitting up in bed, "are you sure?" Shelagh laughed, "Yes, my contractions are 8

minutes apart, I believe they started around 9pm, but I thought it was just another false labour." Just then another contraction came on, and seemed to be a

bit heavier that the previous, she grasped his arm for support. Once the pains had subsided, Patrick suggested he phone Nonnotus House. "Don't be

ridiculous," Shelagh replied, rising slowly from the bed, "you know as well as I that there is no point in Jenny Lee coming this early. Now, please make up

the bed with the delivery pack, and I'm going to go make you some tea, I think you need it," Patrick decided not to argue with his wife.

For a first pregnancy, Shelagh's labour progressed rather quickly, she had woken with pains at 3 in the morning, and by dawn, they were coming

every 4 minutes when she finally allowed her husband to phone the midwives. While Patrick got Timothy off to school, Jenny Lee examined Shelagh in the

bedroom. "Baby's heartbeat sounds splendid, you are coming along very nicely, I would say less than an hour and you can start pushing." Jenny said brightly.

Patrick came in the room, saying that a call had come in from the surgery, "Do you mind if I take the call darling, it shouldn't be long, but I can stay if you

need me." He said, stroking his wife's damp forehead as she leaned on the bed. Before Shelagh could reply, Jenny Lee shooed him out of the room, telling

him not to worry, there was an hour yet before anything should happen, and that she would telephone the surgery if he was needed, then she shut the

bedroom door. "You'd think with all the babies he has delivered, he'd be more composed, I went out to get the hot water going, and he nearly jumped out of

his skin!" Jenny said with a laugh. Shelagh smiled, "He can't help himself, he's so excited, he wanted to phone you the minute I went into labour." Another

contraction came on, and her waters broke with a gush onto the wood floor. Bernadette groaned and swore under her breath. Jenny Lee insisted that she lay

down, and proceeded to clean up the floor and check Shelagh's cervix, "Not very long now I expect, do you think we should call for the doctor?" Jenny

teased. Shelagh rolled her eyes, "Let him work, it is calming his nerves, besides, if he thinks that just because he is a doctor, he is going to be in the room

while I give birth, he had better think again." The pain hit again, it was getting stronger, Shelagh squeezed her eyes shut, clutching the sheets and trying

to breathe through the contraction, as she had always instructed her patients to do. "Chummy said that even after assisting so many births, delivering your

own isn't any easier, I am beginning to understand." She tensed as another contraction came over her, feeling the pressure that told her she would soon want

to push. Some time later, the door opened, and Trixie's blonde bob bounced into the room, "Good morning ladies, I was on my way back from the Parker

delivery, beautiful baby boy, when I ran into your husband, all in a tizzy to make it back before you gave birth, so I thought I'd pop in, I hope you don't mind.

Don't worry, I set Dr. Turner to boiling some more water, so he won't bother us." Shelagh smiled at the other young nurse, "I don't mind at all, especially

now that the going is getting rough." She took Trixie's outstretched hand just as the next contraction hit. Jenny checked her progress again, "Well Mrs.

Turner," she said with a grin, "On the next contraction, I think you can start pushing." Trixie and Jenny helped Shelagh onto her side, and Trixie held her leg

as Jenny bent between them, Shelagh felt the first waves of the contraction come on, and her heart leaped into her throat, this was it, at last she was

going to meet her baby. The contraction came full force, " Alright now Shelagh darling, push!"

Patrick sat at the kitchen table, his hands grasping a small glass of whiskey, his eyes, heavy with concern, focused in the direction of his bedroom.

He was not used to being so helpless in these situations, usually he was the one taking charge, now, he feared to even go near the door lest he be told off by

Nurse Franklin. He could hear his wife's labor progressing, but all he could do was wait. Then he heard it, the first shrill cries of a newborn, it was all he could

do not to jump up and bust down the door. Moments later, it opened, and Jenny Lee slipped out, a soft bundle in her arms, she smiled, "Dr. Turner, you have a

daughter."


	5. Chapter 5

In the soft glow of the first rays of sun creeping through the drapes, Shelagh Turner sat up in bed, nursing her 8 week old daughter. Clementine Mary

Turner was born on October 1st at 10:45 in the morning, perfect in every way. Shelagh had always felt joy when a baby was born, but none like that

experienced at the birth of her own, the happiness and ecstasy mixed with the exhaustion and relief that it was over; all she could do was weep when Jenny

had placed her in her arms. Once she had cleaned up, her husband came in, holding their beautiful baby, and they wept together. Patrick and Timothy had

been scheming for weeks about a name, and Shelagh thought it was perfect. She truly understood now, why so much pain and work was such cause for

celebration. Before, the aftermath of a birth for her had been a bike ride back to the convent and a cup of tea, this was so much different, this little one was

hers, she was equal parts her mother and father, conceived in passionate, enduring love, and welcomed by a family who wanted her more than anything in the

world. The nuns and midwives spoiled the baby as if she was their own niece or granddaughter, especially Sister Julienne, and as much as Timothy tried to

seem unimpressed by the commotion around his new little sister, Shelagh often found him standing over her cot, talking softly and shaking her

rattle. Yes, this baby was so loved and perfect, and she was her own.

A strong arm reached over, caressing the baby's head. Shelagh smiled down at her husband, "Good morning darling, someone wanted their breakfast

early, did we wake you?" Patrick sat up and pulled his wife to him, kissing her hair. "Not at all love, I just couldn't be without my girls any longer." He said

into her ear. The baby cooed contently, unlatching from her mother's breast. Patrick gently lifted her from Shelagh's arms, patting her back until she let

out a tiny belch, before nestling her into his arms. "My beautiful Clemie, my darling angel." He whispered, brushing his thumb over his daughter's fat cheek. His

gestures towards his children now frequently brought tears to Shelagh's eyes, she knew it was in part the hormones associated with being a new mother,

but she could not cease to be touched by the love of this man. "Today is a big day, Clemie and I have our first appointment at the clinic." Shelagh said

matter of factly. Her husband smiled down at the baby, "well now, I don't know what that's all about, I'd say she's perfectly healthy and beautiful, just like her

mother." He took his wife's hand, "I really don't know what possessed you to fall in love with an old man like me, but I'm so grateful you did, my love."

Shelagh squeezed his fingers, "I don't know what possessed me to stop being a nun." She replied and they both laughed. Clementine started to fuss and

squirm in her father's arms, ending their tender moment. "Oh all right, I'll give you back to your mummy." He said, kissing the baby's forehead and giving her

mother a generous kiss on the lips as he rose from bed, "All right you two, I suppose we'd better get a move on."

Fin


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